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Blackstone - Thanks for the informative post! Sadly, it doesn't appear the industry is much further along than when I was working underground.

I have to disagree. Battery technology has come a long way in the last few years. They are lighter, more efficient, and hold a charge better. And, it's not just the batteries. There is a tremendous amount of advanced technology involved in making an electric vehicle viable. Five years ago, it would have been impossible to mass produce a vehicle like the Volt or Leaf.

Why bother with that when you can get a VW diesel getting 45-50 mpg and you don't have to screw around with plugging them in? A lot less expensive car to boot. Consumer driven market regards

VW makes a good car, but I try to buy American whenever possible. A comparable size VW Jetta diesel has an EPA rating of 30 city/42 mpg hwy. However, depending on the length of your trip, you can potentially use zero fuel with the Volt. That beats 42 mpg any day.

The whole point is to move away from oil depency, if possible, and to reduce emissions. If I just wanted better fuel economy, I can get 38 mpg hwy. (40 mpg hwy. with a manual trans) with a Chevy Cruze Eco, and it has a larger interior than Jetta, costs less, and I wouldnít have to find stations that sold diesel fuel.

Electrification of cars is new technology. It certainly isnít perfect, but it is evolving. Eventually, you will probably see electric pickups and SUVs. If I can run around town in a Suburban without burning any gas, and still have all of its capacity and capabilities for hunting, fishing and training dogs, Iíll buy one. And, if I can still get about 300 miles on 9 gallons of gas, like I can with Volt, why would I want a VW diesel?

Because the VW doesn't cost $42k.
Because electricity comes from somewhere (either coal, natural gas, or nuclear).
Because I'm not creating and then having to do something with the toxins created by making and disposing of a gigantic battery.
If we would "drill baby drill" we wouldn't be dependent on foreign oil.
The Volt will go the way of GM's 1970's 4/6/8 cylinder engine and their Quadrasteer rear axle. It's nothing more than a solution looking for a problem.

I recently sold a vw Jetta 5 speed diesel. 50mpg every tank. $20,000 car. I bought it when I had to do a 60 mile commute every day. I no longer do that. I'll tell you though, for the price, low maintenance and dependability, it was tough to beat.

I just came back from Bass Pro in Nashville. They had a Bad Boy Buggy. 4 wheel drive multi seat atv. Electric. had 6 batteries under the seat. For about the same price you can get a polaris ranger gas. The electric vehicle has a range of 16-23 miles. The gas vehicles can go as fas as you want if you carry extra fuel. For most big game hunters out west, I can't see the electric vehicle being an option. I used to go further one way with my Argo than the range of the Bad Boy Buggy. Too bad, because I like the fact that they are quiet.

We are not going to get away from oil & gas any time soon, but if there is a demand for electric (which I really dont see right now) the private market will work it out. We don't need, Obamacare for our vehicles too...

New technology costs money. It always has and it always will. I remember when a TI scientific calculator cost $100+. Now, they are giving away calculators more powerful than that for opening a bank account. Slide rules were a lot cheaper than calculators, but when is the last time you have seen one in use?

Electricity is a lot cheaper than oil, can be produced from a variety of sources domestically, and is pretty much limitless.

Originally Posted by sandyg

Because I'm not creating and then having to do something with the toxins created by making and disposing of a gigantic battery.
If we would "drill baby drill" we wouldn't be dependent on foreign oil.

Most of the battery pack is recyclable. But, I guess you can dispose of the rest of it, and itís toxins, in the same way we dispose of the millions of other batteries and their toxins we create everyday. Of course, we all know there are no environmental hazards associated with drilling for oil, and there are no toxins released from the burning of petroleum products.

Originally Posted by sandyg

The Volt will go the way of GM's 1970's 4/6/8 cylinder engine and their Quadrasteer rear axle. It's nothing more than a solution looking for a problem.

All of those engines and the Quadrasteer axel served their purpose at the time. However, all technology gets replaced as something better comes along. There will be successive generations of electric vehicles until they are replaced by hydrogen vehicles. Electric vehicles are not meant to be the ultimate solution to dependency on oil. They are only meant to be part of the solution. All technology is just a solution looking for a problem until those solutions becomes viable.

The only thing I didnít like about the Volt was the effort it takes to get into the back seat. The rear seats sit atop of part of the battery pack. A man with size 10 Ė 12 feet (or a woman with big feet) will find it difficult to just step into the rear compartment and sit down. You have enough leg room, but you canít get your feet in without turning your foot sideways to step in, then turn your feet straight after you get in, so that your toes fit under the front seats. The other solution is to move the front seats forward, get in, them move the seats back again. Itís kind of hard to explain, but if you try one out at the dealership, you will see what I mean.

Originally Posted by Blackstone

I have to disagree. Battery technology has come a long way in the last few years. They are lighter, more efficient, and hold a charge better. And, it's not just the batteries. There is a tremendous amount of advanced technology involved in making an electric vehicle viable. Five years ago, it would have been impossible to mass produce a vehicle like the Volt or Leaf.

While battery technology has come a long way, it's still not there! When one has to wear their car like a girdle not many will be sold. My wife had a ford escort with a diesel - 53 mpg - I would venture that car had less of a footprint than these green cars will have with manufacturing impacts factored in. JMO - again thanks for the post .

What was the purpose of Quadrasteer and what replaced it?
Two more GM "reversals" were their trend toward digital IP displays in the mid-80s that went the way of the dinosaur and the "heads up" display that projected onto the windshield (never take your eyes off the road again!).

The IC engine isn't going away anytime soon. The refueling infrastructure is in place and it's still a dirt cheap energy source. Electric vehicles have "hidden" pollution and toxin and net energy use issues (the energy cost to make the batteries and motors). It's not the panacea many greenies wish it to be.

As an aside, I stopped hearing how great ethanol is. I wonder why? Gas is $3.15 a gallon and the media isn't making a big deal about the greedy oil companies and their insane profits. I wonder why? Is it because their man (a democrat) is in the WH now and they don't need to make waves in order to get a republican out?

What was the purpose of Quadrasteer and what replaced it?
Two more GM "reversals" were their trend toward digital IP displays in the mid-80s that went the way of the dinosaur and the "heads up" display that projected onto the windshield (never take your eyes off the road again!).

The IC engine isn't going away anytime soon. The refueling infrastructure is in place and it's still a dirt cheap energy source. Electric vehicles have "hidden" pollution and toxin and net energy use issues (the energy cost to make the batteries and motors). It's not the panacea many greenies wish it to be.

As an aside, I stopped hearing how great ethanol is. I wonder why? Gas is $3.15 a gallon and the media isn't making a big deal about the greedy oil companies and their insane profits. I wonder why? Is it because their man (a democrat) is in the WH now and they don't need to make waves in order to get a republican out?